Three orthopedic surgeons have been penalized by the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners for failing to reveal their financial interest in a medical device. According to an NJ.com article, the penalized surgeons apparently did not disclose to their research institutions that they held financial interests in a ProDisc spinal disc device created to replace spinal fusion surgery.

As stated in the article, it is required that all doctors, when renewing their licenses, reveal any financial payments over $10,000 that they are given by medical device manufacturers.

Two of the surgeons have been fined and all three are required to complete an ethics course.

At the heart of this penalization is the issue of public trust. Doctors who put their financial interests before the patient’s care compromise their credibility and could create potentially harmful consequences for patients. A doctor who makes a treatment recommendation or diagnosis based on personal financial benefits rather than what is best for the patient’s health and recovery could face serious consequences.

As this story demonstrates, license renewal forms for doctors cover detailed and important information that affects how they practice medicine and care for the public.

At Blume Forte, our New Jersey medical negligence attorneys have handled a wide range of medical malpractice cases, including those that relate to surgical error. For decades, our firm has obtained substantial recoveries for clients’ meritorious medical malpractice and hospital negligence cases. To learn more about your possible legal rights and options, call us at 973-635-5400 for a no-cost consultation.